Service Providers (Internet, TV, Etc)

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BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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The local politicians aren't the problem generally though. I don't feel like my state or local politicians are being influenced by campaign contributions for the most part. Maybe some in bigger cities, but running for state legislature around here means putting up a shitload of cardboard signs and doing a couple interviews with the local paper and that's about it. Campaign contributions are usually minimal and coming from individuals, not companies. The corruption is at the governor/US congress level.
 
Agraza

Agraza

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In most U.S. states both state and federal congressional districts are determined by state legislature, making each state senator and congressman influential in affecting federal representation. Many members of both federal and state legislature once held a lower office.
 
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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That's a pretty obvious conflict of interest. You don't need campaign contributions when the congressmen literally work for you. I guess I don't know what the rules are for that since most state legislatures aren't a full time job and everybody there has a regular job in some industry or other.
 
Arative

Arative

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I would hope that the 3 that work for Frontier would recuse themselves from any legislation involving Frontier but you know that probably won't happen.
 
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Obtenor_sl

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BrutulTM_sl said:
The local politicians aren't the problem generally though. I don't feel like my state or local politicians are being influenced by campaign contributions for the most part. Maybe some in bigger cities, but running for state legislature around here means putting up a shitload of cardboard signs and doing a couple interviews with the local paper and that's about it. Campaign contributions are usually minimal and coming from individuals, not companies. The corruption is at the governor/US congress level.
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Of course they are, please don't be this naive (and I don't mean offense).

State and local politicians are the one (in the case of this thread) that are setting up exclusive contracts with Service Providers such as Comcast/Verizon/TWC/etc. State officials are the ones passing laws banning Municipal Networks and the like. I moved to the USA from a country that's very 'presidential/federal' and was used to think that the president or say congress affects my life every day. This until I realized that here in the states everything is pretty much done at the State level, most laws that affect you come from your state not the federal government.

If you want better access to Internet/Phone/Services etc, you gotta put people in the State/Local city council that are not 'tainted' by the big telcos.
 
Louis

Louis

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I don't even think it's difficult for anyone with common sense to choose a side here. Which side are the telcos on? K, I'm on the other side.
 
Dalien

Dalien

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You'd be surprised. Most people don't have the slightest clue what "Net Neutrality" means (and let's be honest, the name doesn't help the cause). Local talk radio fag is already wailing about OUR FREEEEDERRRRMS and how this is a government takeover of the internet.

I'm glad this battle was won but the war is far from over. I fully expect the ruling to get challenged in court and wouldn't be shocked to see it make its way to the Supreme Court eventually.
 
Woefully Inept

Woefully Inept

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Dalien_sl said:
You'd be surprised. Most people don't have the slightest clue what "Net Neutrality" means (and let's be honest, the name doesn't help the cause). Local talk radio fag is already wailing about OUR FREEEEDERRRRMS and how this is a government takeover of the internet.
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That is exactly what my uncle is railing on right now. I regret being related to him. Not just about this but his political views in general are infuriating. He's one of those people that thinks Corporations are people just like everyone else.
 
Crone

Crone

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It's a fairly complex problem. The corporations are greedy, but so are the shareholders. I heard they were screaming it was going to hurt speeds, and expansion plans, and that's probably true, but I highly doubt we'll see profits actually decrease. They'll just stop spending in R&D, or other areas, because heaven forbid they don't make a few billion dollars in profit every year.
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Joeboo

Joeboo

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It's rare that a group of companies could be so greedy, and so customer unfriendly that I would choose the US government regulating something over a private company. But that's the case here. That's just how bad it was getting.
 
Convo

Convo

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Some guy at work had a big drink of the koolaid and started spewing the government take over shit today. I fucking slayed his ass in front of 6 people!!
 
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Kedwyn

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Yeah stupid people that don't pay attention but have strong opinions are like "guberment regulation is bad". They don't realize it's government regulation preventing the free market from working and this title 2 will help prevent that from being an issue moving forward.

Oh, and Obama.
 
Abefroman

Abefroman

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Crone_sl said:
It's a fairly complex problem. The corporations are greedy, but so are the shareholders. I heard they were screaming it was going to hurt speeds, and expansion plans, and that's probably true, but I highly doubt we'll see profits actually decrease. They'll just stop spending in R&D, or other areas, because heaven forbid they don't make a few billion dollars in profit every year.
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They have had forever to increase speeds and expand and they don't do it because they have local politicians in their pockets. They are threatening us with shit they don't do anyway. Competition is the only thing that gets these assholes to upgrade or increase performance. Funny how fiber only get installed where google threatens to go or is deployed. For fucks sake they could have installed high speed fiber to every man woman and child in the country on the profits they make just from the god damn cable modem fees.
 
Arative

Arative

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I look forward to weeks of conservatives whinning about Obama taking over the internet and ceos of isps warning of billions in new fees and taxes because of this.
 
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